Brush-making machine



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BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed 001:.` 5, 1927 12 Sheets-'Sheet 2 Nov. 19, 1929.

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' BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed/Oct.. 5, 1927 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 rNov. 19, 1929. E. R. LINDSTRM 1,736,162

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed oct. 5, 1927 12 sheets-sheet 12 Patented Nov. 19, 1929 1 UNITED ASTATI-:s PATENT o FFIcE nvnnnnn n. LINnsTnoM, or EvANsToN, ILLrNoIs'AssIGNoR 'ro AUGUSTUS LEE READ,

' or COVINGTON, :KENTUCKY BRUSH-MARIN G MACHINE Application filed. October 5, A19587. Serial No. 224,082.

This invention relates to brush making machines, and morefparticularly to a machme for inserting bristles into the head or body portion of a brush.

5 A machine designed and constructed 1n accordance with the present inventlon 1s -primarily intended for use in the manufacture of tooth brushes, although the same pr1nc1- ples of operation may be applied to the manu- 10 facture of brushes of other types.

. The object of the invention is to provlde an automatic machine which will produce the finished articles at a largely increased rate of production and at a consequently lower cost than has heretofore .been possible with machines available for the purpose and which at best are only capable of performing separate operations.

The machine herein disclosed 1s beheved to be unique inthe art owing to the degree to which the automatic features have been developed,AV as witness the fact that the only manual operations are the feeding of the vbrush blanks to the machine, the discharge of the finished brushes therefrom, and maintaining a supply of bristles in a magazine, although it-is contemplated that even the feeding and discharging operations may be readily accomplished by automatlc means. I The v blanks are preferably stamped from sultable sheet materials, in this instance an especially heavy grade of fibre board with rows o f holes or recesses inthe head portiony to receive the bristles.- The machine does not stamp the handle blanks. Y

A comprehensive conception of the functions-performed by the machine may be had by. first considering the finished brush. It

consists of the flat handle portion and a head in whicl'rl'two rows of bristle tufts are set, each tuft consisting of a number of bristle strands -bent double to form a looped end which is inserted into vthe hole or recess in the head, and locked in place by a short metal bar or key which is pressed edgewise into the head, crosswise each hole or recess and between the looped portions of the tuft within said recess.

The bristles are fed to the machine from a magazine or hopper to which batches of isftraight bristles are supplied from time to lrieiy, a single cycle of operation comprises the following sequence of steps: A layer of bristles is removed from the bottom of the magazine, separated into groups of an equal number of strands, and thence carried laterally into the path of a group of setting needles which drive the keys ,or lock bars (fed in the form of a flexible stri from a reel and thence cut into short lengths downwardly, at the same time engaging the midpoints of the bristle strands, bending them into loop form as they are carried into the holes of the blank below Waiting to receive them, and secured by the embedding of the bars in the head of the blank.

As will be presently seen, a single row of tufts (six in number inv the present instance) are set in a single operation. But the brush as made, has a double row of tufts so that it is preferred to repeat the same setting operation by advancing the' blank with one row of bristles set to another setting head,-a duplicate of the iirst,-which sets the second row of'bristles. However, in adopting the method ofV setting the rows in successive operations, do not ignore the fact that the entire operation of tufting the brush may be readily carried out in one operation.`

For brevity of description and illustration,

therefore, a single tufting head or unit has been disclosed, it being understood that another head would constitute 'a complete machine for tufting a brush with two rows of bristles. As will be presently seen, the brush carrier is a polygonal platform or turret rotating about a vertical axis and'driven with an intermittent stop motion so that assuming that thefirst tufting head were located in a certain position, the second would be spaced A from the first head in the direction of the movement of the carrier. Furthermore, it may be stated that the handle blanks are advanced step by step practically throughout a complete revolution ofthe carrier, coming to rest momentarily in a series of positions vor stations. It is during these positions of rest that the bristles are set, the blanks fed to the carrier and the finished brushes removed,

l and Also, other finishing operations maybe accom lished after each brush has been tufted Viefore itis discharged from the carrier, such as trimming the tufts or coverm the handle withanishin coat. However,t eseical movements are employed, as for instance,

cams, rock shafts, levers and linkages of various types, all well known agencies. for imparting the desired movement and timing of 'the part actuated thereby. Forvthis reason,

it is proposed to omit detailed descriptions of each mechanical movement employed other than to trace its origin and define its nature, and for the further reason that such movements are all within the realm of the skilled machine designer.

Referring to the accompanying drawings showing a preferred embodiment of the 1nvention, n

Figure 1 is a general view of the machine in side elevation.

Figure 2 is a front view of the machine with the turret removed.

Figure 3 is a top pla'n view of the machine showing one unit in full andthe position ot another unit indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a detail view of the blank feeding turret drive mechanism as taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1. 0

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view 1n front I elevation of the bristle-setting head as taken online 5 5 of Figure 1. i t

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view in vertical section-through the bristle-setting head as taken on line 6-6 of -Figure 5. t

Figure 6* is a detail view in -cross section taken on line 6-6 of Figures 6 and 7.

Figure 7 is a view in plan section of the bristle-setting head as taken on line 7-7 of Figures 5 and 6.

Figure 7 is a detail View in cross section taken on line 7 a of Figure 7.

Figure `8 is a View in vertical section through the upper portion of the bristle-setting head, showing the wire feeding and gripping members.

Figures 9, 10 land 11 are cross-sectional views taken on lines 9-9, 10-10 and 11--11, respectively, of Figures 2 and 8, respectively.

Figure 12 is an enlarged detail view in vertical section through the lower portion of the bristle-setting head and the arrangement of cams on the cam shaft as taken on line 12-12 of Figure 2, and a continuation of the section below that of Figure 8. p

Figure 13 is an enlarged view in side elevation of the forward portion of the cam shaft showing the cam arrangement.

Figure 14'is a cross-sectional view on line lli-14 of Figure 13'showing cams nliouftnted on the central portion of the cam s a taken l Figure 15 is an enlarged detail view in transverse section taken on line 15-15 of Figure 3.

Figure 16l is anl enlarged detail view in cross section taken on line 16-16 of Figure 13.

Figure 17 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the -brush carriers as taken 011v line 17--17 of Figure 12.

Figure 18 is a cross sectional view of the brush carrier taken on line 18-18 of Figure 17.

Figure 19 is a diagra matic view in vertical section through the bristle magazine as taken on line 19-19 of igure 2 showing the parts at the commencement of a bristle separating and feeding stroke.

Figure 2() is a diagrammatic view in front elevation of the lower portion of the' bristle magazine and parts associated therewith.

Figures 22, 24, 26 and 28 are diagrammatic viewscorresponding to Figure 19 and showing the successive positions 'of the parts during the movement of removing a single row s of tufts from the magazine.

Figures 21, 23, 25, 27 and 29 are diagrammatic views corresponding to Figure 20 and showing the successive positions of the parts in front elevation during a single tuft removing operation, Figure 29 also showing the bristle setting mechanism as taken on line 29-29 of Figure 30. V

Figure 232L is a diagrammatic view showing the action of the Wire cutter at the instant of cutting, and the'severed members being advanced forwardly to 'the setting, mechanism. l

Figure 30 is a'diagrammatic view in section through the bristle setting mechanism as taken on 'line 30-30 of Figure 29 including A a brush carrier in bristle setting position.

Figures 32, 34, 36 and 38 are diagrammatic views corresponding to Figure 30, showing the'successive positions of the parts during a bristle setting stroke.

Figures 31, 33, 35 and 37 are diagrammatic views corresponding to the left-hand portion of Figure 29 and showing the successive positions of the parts in front elevation during a bristle setting stroke. l

Figure 39 is a perspective view of a finished brush.

Figure 40 is a detail View in sect-ion through a single tuft showin in which it is set in the brush lank.

The brush making machine consists gen` erally of a revolving turret A and one or the manner" more bristle setting units B, arranged about the circumference of the turret. As already `mounted on a bench or support of table height, both being driven by an electric motor mounted beneath, and connected with a vertical drive shaft 1. The turret comprises a revolving spider 2 fixed to a vertical spindle 3 journalled in a bearing 3El integral with a base 4 fixed to the machine support. The turret spider: is octagonal 1n shape 4(F1gure I 3), and spaced apart at uniform intervals -are mounted the brush blank carriers 5.

These carriers consist of spring actuated grippers which hold the blanks in fixed position during the bristle settmg operation, as will later be described in detail.

The turret revolves with ari intermittent stop motion similar to the so-called Geneva movement, so that a blank is presented to the bristle setting mechanism with each advance movement, with an intervening period of rest during which the setting operation 1s completed. The blanks with the bristles set are advanced through several positions of rest and in one or more of these positions or stations the necessary finishing operations can be accomplished, such as the trimmng ofthe bristles. For the purpose of this disclosure,

' however, it need only be stated that the blanks are preferably loaded in the carriers at the station 90 in advance of the first settlng unit, and theY finished brushes unloaded at the station just in advance of the ,loading station. The loading and unloading consists simply in tripping the grippers and replacing a finished brush with a blank. This can be done either by hand lor automatically.

The turret drive is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 4. At the upper end of the drive shaft 1 is a beveled drive pinion 6, and irnv mediately below is the turret drive pinion 7.

Meshing with the pinion 7 is a train of three gear wheels 8, 9 and 10, mounted on vertical stub shafts just below the spider 2 (Figure 4). The shaft carrying the last gear wheel 10 also carries a crank 11 at its upper end with a roller 11'1 at its end designed' to engage a series of radial slots 2al forming a star wheel on the underside of 'the spider 2 whereby the desired motion is impart-'ed to the turret.

Referring now to the bristle setting unit B, the same consists of a series of coacting mechanisms functioning in cycles in the performance of the sequence of steps constituting each bristle setting operation in which a single row of bristle tufts are inserted into a blank.

To simplify the description of the mechanisms, it may be well to first identify them according tothe functions performed and in the order of their performance. The first mechanism consists of those parts which successively remove from a magazine the required number of bristles for one setting, divides the bristles into tufts and transports them laterally in the form of small bundles ofstraight bristles to what may be termed the setting position. The next mechanism consls'ts of a group of moving parts which feeds strips of fiat wire toward the point 'of bristle setting, cuts short lengths from the strips to form the bristle locking keys or bars, and moves or slides the keys edgewise to a position in line with the setting needles. And finally, the mechanism consists generally of a vertically reciprocative plunger in which is mounted a set of setting needles which descend, forcing the locking bars and bristle tufts into the holes or recesses in the blank.

These different mech nisms comprise several members or groups of moving parts, some having a reciprocatingrmotion, others a rockin@ motion, depending on the particular function to be performed. Moreover, the movements of the parts are synchronized so as to act at the proper sequence although not necessarily at the same time.

These several mechanisms are mounted in a frame consisting of a base plate 12 and a hollow vertical column 13 located centrally of the base plate.` Extending horizontally above the base plate and through the lower part of the column 13 is a horizontal main ,cam shaft 14 arranged radially with respect ed out, the beveled gear 15 is connected with the c am shaft by means of clutch mechanism, but 1n the normal operation of the machine `turns with the cam shaft. Mounted onthe main cam shaft 14 is a plurality of cams consisting of cam plates and their followers, the latter being operatively connected with one of the moving parts of the several mechanisms lefore outlined. In most instances, the cam followers are not connected directly with the member actuated thereby, but through a succession of links and levers, the common arrangement being that of connecting the cam follower with a rock shaft mount-l ed on the frame column, said rock shaft carrying one or more levers connected with the moving part through a link, the particular arrangement being varied depending on the nature and direction of the motion to be transmitted. Similarly. the cams are designed to impart the desired movement. to the partI actuated thereby, some being plate cams and others being box cams, that is, with the cam followers elther engaging the periphery of the cam or ridingin a groove in one face thereof. Moreover,.the contour of the cam and its angular position on the cam shaft is such as to transmit the desired motion at the proper instant or point in the cycle 'of operation.

With this introduction to the driving cams, the various mechanisms .will first be described and their movement traced back to the particular cam which operates them. Beginning with vthe first mechanism in the 'order of sequence in the cycle' of operation, namely, the bristle separating and transporting mechanism, the same coacts with a bristle magazine or hopper 16 supported in vertical position on one side (right in Figure 2) of the frame column 13, the lower end of which is on the level Vwith and also to the right of the setting head, as that portion of the machine'where the bristles are mserted in the brush blanks may be termed. The bristle magazine 16 is merely a vertical receptacle in which the loose bristles in their naturalr form are piled, although they are previously cut to a uniform length and placed therein so that they all extend in the same direction, namely, from front to rear. The magazine is open at its lower end, although the pile of bristles is at all times held or supported therein b y one or the other of two moving members, one being a cut-'off hook or blade 17 and the other a reciprocating separator blade 18 (Figures 2 and 5). The cut-off blade consists of an' L-shaped arm 17 fixed to the end of a rock shaft 19 extending through the frame column from front to rear and operatively connected with a plate cam 19A through a follower cam 19b mounted on said rock shaft. The upper or extreme endof the blade has the form of a fork (Fig. 7) with fiat tines v17m-17,a which project crosswise just above the bottom of the magazine, the forward ends of the prongs of the fork-like blade being beveled to points. The separator bar 18 is a flat bar somewhat longer than. the width of the machine, and so mounted and actuated as to reciprocate endwise beneath, the magazine and likewise to be raised and lowered during its endwise movement. At each end of the separator blade is mounted a carrier block 18a which in turn is pivotally mounted at the ends of two short lever arms 20-20 mounted on rock shafts 21-21 journalled in bearing brackets 22-22 on opposite sides of the frame column 13, said shafts being provided with longer anddownwardly extending lever arms 223-23, -jolned together at their lower-ends by a cross link 24 passing behind the frame column (Figure 7). At one end of the separator b ar (left in Figure 2) is a short link 25 connectlng 1t with a straight vertical lever 26 fixed to a rock shaft 27 journalled in brackets 28--28 near the base of the frame column. The rock shaft 27 carries a lever 29 designed for angular adjustment, the same projecting downwardly and connected at its end with a cam follower 30 in the Aform of a link havin a yoke 30a at its inner end which straddles t e cam shaft 14 (Figure 15). Just rearward of the follower 30 is a box cam 31 keyed to the cam shaft 14 and having an irregular groove 31 cut in the front face thereof, in which rides a roller 30 journalled on the follower 30. By this arrangement of links and levers a reciprocating motion is imparted to the separator bar coupled with an upward and dow'nward rocking movement at the end of each stroke through the carrier blocks 18, 18*al carried on the rocking levers 20,20. For imparting the vertical rocking motion to the separator bar lifting levers 20, 20, a lever 32 is mounted on a long rock shaft 33 journalled in the rear bracket 28 and a front side bracket 34. The lever 32 bears at itsupperr end through an adjustment screw 32a against the lower end of the adjacent lever 23, the same being held against the adjusting screw by a coil spring 34' (Figure 7) connecting Athe horizontal cross link 24 with the frame 14 (Figure 15).

Considering the separator blade 18V further,

`it will be observed it passes below the bristle magazine and is straddled by the prongs 17, 17 of the magazine cut-off block 17. At the central part of the separator blade A18 is a series of upright teeth or prongs 37 resembling the teeth of a comb, which form between them a series of V-shaped notches slightly deeper than one-half the width of the bar,-the number of notches being the same as the number of bristle tufts to be set in the brush, namely, six in this instance,

although the number is a matter ofv choice. Moreover, the separator blade is made in two full length sections, parted vertically as shown in Figure 6, and provided'with an internal longitudinally extending central guideway in .which is mounted a thin separator blade 38 adapted to move bodily with the separator bar and also to have reciprocating motion relative thereto. The blade 38, however, does not travel the full length ofthe separator bar, but only in a path along the base of the comb teeth 37, the forward end of the blade 38 having its upper edge tapered to form a sharp point in line with the bot- I tom edge of the blade. The blade 38 is actuated independently of the separator bar 18 by means of a cam and levers similar to those operating said separator bar. At the right 40 (Figure 2.) journalled intermediate its ends on a stub shaft 41 mounted at the laterally extending front bearing bracket 42. The lower portion of the lever 40 is connected4 with a horizontal link 43 extending inwardly and providedjat its inner end with a cam folldwer 43a" (Figures 12 and 13) riding on the /zam shaft 14 and provided with a cam roller 43b engaging the periphery of a plate cam 44 just rearwardly or inside of the front cam shaft bearing 12..

The movement imparted to the cut-off blade 17, separator bar 18 and separator blade 38 can be best understood fromthe illustrative Figures 19 to 29 showing each step in thel f cycle of operations in which a charge or load of bristles is removed fromthe magazine just in advance of the actual bristle setting operation. Figures 19 and 20 show in front elevation and vertical section, respectively, these parts at the commencement of a cycle, the pile of bristles b in the magazine 16 being supported by the cut-olf blade 17 Wlth the separator blade 18 spaced below the cutoffI blade. In the next position (Figures 21 and 22) the cut-off blade 17 is retracted or withdrawn to one side of the magazine "and the separator blade 18 is elevated carrying the teeth 37 into the mass of bristles which fill the notches between the teeth37, these notches being open to their lower extremities inasmuch as the separator blade 38 is retracted. In the next position (Figures 23 and 24) the separator blade 38 is advancing forwardly to the left, forcing its way through the mass of bristles with its lower edge just above the bottom line of the notches between the teeth.

By this movement the bristles lodged in the bottoms of the several notches are separated from the mass above and thus from each other in the form of small bundles or wisps f b of about the size required for each individual tuft. At the same time the cut-off blade 17 has begun to move forward but lagsA behind the separator blade. In the next position (Figures 25 and 26) the separator blade 38 has stopped in its fully elevated posltion and the cut-off blade 17 is moved forwardly to its full extentjust above the line of bris- 'tle bundles b', simultaneously forcing the en.-

tire mass of bristles clearI of the teeth 37 of the separator bar, which now has received lts charge of bristles b and is ready to transport them forward to the bristle settlng posltion, the bristles b being held firmly 1n place in the notches by the separator blade 38. Just preceding the forward movement of the separator bar it is depressed and the cut-olf blade is elevated slightly as shown in Figures 27 and 28, thus allowing the bar to clear the magazine before starting its endwise movement toward the bristle setting mechanism. And finally, in Figure 29, the separator bar is shown advanced endwise to the left of-the (as shownin Figure 20) where it remains sta.-

tionary until the separator bar 18 has been discharged of its load of bristles and returns for another load cycle. Y

The operation of setting the bristles will not be described as yet, although it may be well in order to complete thecycle of movement of the separator bar and its associated parts, to state that immediately after the bristles b are removed fromthe bar it is depressed or dropped downwardly a short distance and returned to 'its starting position under the magazine at the lower level, as shown in Figure 20, and thence lifted into Abirstle receiving position as already described.

are ready to receive the next load of bristles` from the magazine.

and a repetition ofthe next But before the separator b ar and blade can j return to the magazine for their next load, the

b'ristle bundles b must be transferred from the separator bar to a set of fixed notches in which they are held momentarily awaiting the descent of the setting needles and in order that the bristle feeding action will not be delayed. A description of the stationary parts of the bristle setting mechanism will now follow: Referring to Figures 5, 6 and 12, a center block 40 is mounted on the frame column 13 immediately behindthe path of the separator bar. with a forwardly extending overhanging flange 41- provided along its forward edge with an upper needle guide plate 42, aseries of vertical needle Aguide bores 42a being formed between their contacting faces. On the under side of the flange 41 of the T-head block 40 and along its forward edge, is a row of downwardly projecting teeth 44 just rearwardly of the guide bores42a, which form a series of downwardly facing notches,'-the complements of the notches in the separator bar. These notches are in vertical alignment with needle guide bores 42 and with the setting needles, and are moreover recessed into the under side of the T-head flange 41 as at 44a. Just in front of the row of teeth 44 is a lower needle plate 45 likewise having a series of guide bores 458L in'vertical alignment withl the upper series of guide bores 42a, there being a space between these sets of guide bores in which the bristles are held. Along the top of the setting guide plate 45 This block has a T-head are a series of transverse grooves or notches The lower needle guide plate 45 is fixed at 'the upper end of-a. vertically movable plate 46 mounted`-in vertical guides 46, 46lL on the front of the T-head block 40. At the lower lend of the plate 46 is a cam` roller 46b en aging a plate cam 47keyed to the cam sha t 14 just beneath the setting head (Figure 12) N ow resuming the discussion of the action from the point where thelseparator bar 18 has transported the `bristle tufts b" to the setting position.V As shown in Figure 29, it will be pointed out that the separator bar is lifted upwardly as it reaches the end of""its forward stroke so that the bristle tufts bare carried upwardly into the notches 44* between the fixed teeth 44 with their rear end portions bent downwardly behind the teeth. At this moment the lower or movable guide plate 45 is elevated and comes to rest against the under side of the upper guide plate 42 thus clampin the tufts b securely in the notches 45" along the top edge of said movable guide plate 45. In this position the tufts can now be released by the separa-tor bar which follows the instant the same are clamped, namely, b the retraction 'of the separator blade 38 igures 39 .and 40), and finally by the simultaneous depression and retractive movement of the separator bar 18..,

Now the bristle tufts are ready for the next operation, namely, the setting into the brush blank. As already'stated, this operation consists'in driving the several tufts of bristles downwardly throughv the bores in the guide plates 42 and 45 by means of a set or bank of needles arranged above and in vertical alignl ment with these guide bores.. The needles,

however, are preceded by the keys consisting of small rectangular plates cut from strips of fiat wire, The needles 48-six in number-are mounted in a vertically reciprocating plunger head 49 in the form of a plate slidably mounted in guideways or gibs 49,

' 49* on the front face of the frame column 13 leaving a transverse edge (thus as shown `in Figure 6. It maybe stated that the vertical needle bores in the guide plates 42 and 45 are cut to the same. contour as the shank portions of the needles, the obvious reason being to give the'needles the support necessary to prevent them from being broken. Incidentally, the needles themselves are designed for maximum strength and to avoid frequent displacement. The stroke of the needles is relatively short, namely, the distance required to drive them through the guide plates to the brush blank and return. The reciprocating motion isY imparted Ytothe plunger or needle head through a rocking lever 50\ (Figures 1 and 8)' mounted between brackets\ 51, 51at the top o f the-frame column 13. The forward end of the rocking lever 50 is connected to the upper-end of the plunger .head byalink 52, i

and at its rear end to a vertical connecting rod 53 by a yoke 53. The lower end-of the connecting` rod 53 carries a cam follower yoke `5 4 i shaft 14. w

Considering now the wire feedi g and cutoff mechanism which provides the keys and places them in position to be driven-down- Wardlyl with the needles.

hollow frame column and directly behind the needle plunger head 49. The wire lw in the form' of thin flat strips of brass or like metal is fed from a reel 57 (Figure 1) mounted on an arm 57 F extending rearwardly fromA the top of the machine frame column. Six strands of this kwire are fed forwardly from the reel through the connecting yoke 53a to a Wire feed head 58 pivotally mounted within the column 13 for slight forward and'aft tilting motion on a transverse spindle 59 (Figure 8). This wire gure 12) having a' cam roller 55 A engaging a box -cam'56 keyed to the cam4 v This ,mechanism is locat/ed in the upper part of the feed head has the form of a rocking bracket with side wallsy 58B and a top wall or -guide plate 60 in which grooves are formed for guiding the strands of wire. At the forward end of othetop wall is a downturned curved lip 60.* which alters the direction of travel of the wlre from a horizontally forward to a vertically downward direct-ion. Extending over the top wall 60 and lip 60.is a removable I cover plate 61. Integral with the wire feeding head 58 are upstanding lugs-62, 62`adjacent the rear edge of thetop guide .plate 60v and on opposite sidesof the wire guiding grooves. These lugs face forwardly and are spaced a short distance behind a fixed abutment flange 63 integral with the machine frame. Coil springs 64 are inserted in horizontal bores' 62'il formed in said lugs, the springs bearing against the abutment 63 and coacting to hold the wire guiding head against forward tilting. Mounted at one end of thewire feed head spindle 59 is a lever 65 (Flgure 1) connected with a vertical push rod 66, the same being the rearmost of a group of three push rods extendin parallel along the right side (Figure 2) o? the machine and passing through a guide block 67 fixed to the machine frame. A coil sprinor 68 is mounted on the rod 66 and anchored b: a collar 69, the upper end of the spring bearing against the upper guide block 67 and normally under compression to hold the rod down. The lower end of the push rod 66 ispivotally connected with one end of a bell crank lever v several strands of wire.

shaft 71 supported in the front wall of the machine frame. At the free and lower end of `the bell crank lever is a cam roller a engaging the periphery of a plate cam 72 keyed to the cam shaft 14, the same being the rearmost of a group of four somewhat similar plate cams, all operating parts of the wire feed mechanism. These other plate cams (Figures 12 and 13) are indicated as 73, 74 and 75. The plate cams 73 and 74 immediately adjacent the rear cam 72 have the identical arrangement of bell crank lever form of cam followers 76 and 77 and journalled on the same stub shaft 71, although as shown in Figure 14 the contour of the plates varies slightly so as to impart the desired motion. So too, the cams 73 and 74 connected with the vertical push rods 78 `and 79, respectively. thus completing with the rod 66 the group of three before mentioned, and all operating alike but connected with different parts.

The foremost of this group of four plate cams, 75, coacts with a bell crank cam follower 80 mounted on a stub shaft 81 located below instead of above the cam shaft 14 (Figures 13 and 14), with its follower roller 8Oa engaging the side of the cam and the other arm extending through a slot near the base of the frame column and connected with a Y wire guide spindle 59, the other two will now be connected with the parts actuated thereby. The intermediate rod 78 is connected at'its upper end with a lever mounted on a transverse rock shaft 86 (Figures 1 and 8) jourf nalled in the side walls of the frame column.

Fixed to this rock shaft is a group of six presser fingers 87' projecting forwardly. Coacting with these presser fingers is a like series of wire release levers 88. Before de- 1 scribing the action of these levers, it will be noted that ,the wire on leaving the top guide plate 60 passes downwardly just to the rear of two vertical guide plates 89 and 90, disposed one above the other and having their rear faces grooved to form guideways for the Opposite these plates are two sets of levers, the lower set 88 already mentioned being wire gripping and release levers, and the other and upper set 91 being the wire advancing or feeding levers.

Both sets of levers 88 and 91 are similar in design, mounting and operation, but it will be observed thatl the upper set 91 is.mounted on the tilting or rocking wire feeding head 56 and therefore movable ,bodily therewith,

whereas the lower set 88 is carriedA on the frame column and hence does notl move bodily.

The levers 88 are metal bars mounted to rock on a pin 92 offset a short distance from the path of the wire. The front edge of each lever is substantially vertical and is reduced to a narrow flange 88al beveled at its upper end and adapted to enter each of the guide grooves of' the fixed guide plate 9() and against the strand of wire therein. the flanged edge 88a is a downwardly and forwardly projecting linger 88" on which is carried a gripper block 93 with teeth along its forward edge, having their beveled sides inclined downwardly, these gripper blocks being located ust below the flanged edges 88l of the lever. Extending rearwardly from lthe pivot pin 92 cach lever has a finger 88U the end of which rests upon the tipof the corresponding trip finger on the rock shaft 86, there being a trip finger for each lever. Immediately above the rear ends of the levers 88 is a cylindric spring carrier 94 mounted at its ends in the vside walls of the frame column. In this carrier are a series of small y58 and operatively connected with the third and foremost push rod 79 by means of a curved lever arm 98 (Figure 1). A set of coil springs 99 bear on the rear ends of the levers 91 from-above, these springs being carried in the lower edge of a depending flange 60@l integral with the wire feed head 58. 'lhe levers 91 also have a set of wire gripper blocks 91a similar to those, 93, of

the lower set of levers 88. Thus as clearly shown in Figure 8, the function of these sevleral gripping devices is to intermittently feed the several strands of wire downwardly to the cutting-off mechanism just below (Figure 12), not more than 1/8 of an inch of the wire being advanced with each cycle of operation.

A single cycle of operation of the wire feeding mechanism will be understood from the following: Assuming that the parts are momentarily at rest in the positions shown m Figure 8, the operation is to feed the strands downwardly for the next series of keys to be cut from the ends. The forward and downward feeding of the strands is accomplished by the forward rocking motion or tilting of the wire. feeding head 58 aided by the two sets of wire feed levers 88 and 91 which funclelow are secured by screws 112 (Figure 5).

tion alternately to grip and release the wire. At the start of t-lie feeding movement, the lower set of levers 88 is in released position and the upper set of levers 91 is gripping the wire. Thus upon the forward tilting of the wire feeding head the wire is drawn forwardly from the reels and advanced downwardly, held fast by the upper set of gripping levers which tilt with the feeding head. As soon as this forward tilting is completed, the lower set of levers 88 is tripped and they now `grip the wire while the upper set 91 is released, thus allowing the` wii'e feeding head to rockv back to its normal position, the strands of wire remaining fast until the next cycle takes place. Thus by intermittent rocking of the wire feeding head 58 through its rock shaft 59 and the alternate tripping of the sets of levers 88 and 91 through their trip fingers 87 and 96, the sti'ands of wire are fed downward into the path of the wire cut. ting member located just below the wire feed.- ing mechanism (Figures 5 and 6). Here the strands of wire pass between a pair of vertical guide plates and fOl which terminate just above the top surface of the T-head block 40, the forward of these guide blocks having a beveled cutting edge 100 at its bottom spaced a short distance above the top face of tlie'flange 41 of said T-head block. In this space is mounted a horizontally reciprocating ila-t. cutter bar 102 (Figures G and 12) connected at its rear end to a link 103 which is pivotally connected in turn to a bell crank lever 104 mounted on a rock shaft 105. The bell crank lever 104 connects with a vertical link 106 having a cam follower 107 androller 107aL at its lower end engaging a box cam 108 mounted on the cam shaft 14. The path of movement of the cutter blade 102 is from a point just rearwardly of the fixed cutting edge 100a of .the guide block 100 (Figure 6) to the vertical path of the setting needles 48, and since each strand of wire lw is in exact alignment with the path of one of tl e needles and is fed downwardly in verticiil plane immediately behind each needle into the path of the cutting blade 102, rectangular pieces w are cut from the ends of the, strands which are carried forward on edge and deposited in the path of the setting needles.

Additional means, however, aie necessary to guide these rectangular pieces or keys fw forward and to place them properly into setting position (Figures 5, 6 and 7). Extending longitudinally `of the top face of the T- head block 40 is a pair of guide bars 109, 109 (Figure 7) between which the cutter bar 102 slides. These guide bars extend forwardly beyond the vertical plane of the needles and support an upper and lower guide plate 110 and 111 projecting forwardly and spaced apart by the guide bars 109, 109 to which tiy upper guide plate 110 is provided with a series of needle guides 110a just above the upper' needle guide plate 42.

Between the two guide plates 110 and 111 is a set of six endwisesliding bars 113 in horizontal alignment with the cutter bar 102. These bars are secured at their lower ends to a reciprocating frame 114 consisting of two side bars 114a sliding eiidwise in ways formed just outside of the guide bars 109 and along the side edges of the T-head block 40. Extending transversely between the forward ends of the side frame members 114, 114 is a cross member 115 consisting of a vertical plate with blocks 115u at each end to which the ends of the side bars are bolted, and also carrying journal pins 116 connected with links 117 extending rear vardly on either side of the T-head block and iinected with rocking levers 118 adjacent the rear of the frame column (Figure 12). These rocking levers 'are mounted on the rock shaft 84 heretofore identified as actuated by plate cam 75, cam followers 80, push rod 82 and rocker arm 83 Figures 1, 13 and 14) whereby a backward and forward reciprocating movement is iinparted to the sliding frame and the bars 113.

Referring further to the bars 113, it will be observed that they are connected with the sliding frame 114 through the plate 115 for a limited endwise movement relative thereto, by providing narrow neck portions 113a adjacent their outer ends and which fit into notches 115aL along the upper edge of the pla-te, the length of the neck portions being slightly greater than the thickness of the plate, thus permitting an appreciable relative movement between the two. This movement, however, is controlled by a tension plate. 119 fixed to the outer face of the plate 115 and having a sei'ies of spring fingers 119a (Figure 6) bearing aga-inst the ends of the bars 118. Thus the bars are yieldingly held against movement relative to the sliding fi'aine which actuates them, but are capable of being displaced slightly aga-inst the tension of the spring fingers 119a by pressure exerted at their inner ends` which are slotted and notched longitudinally and transversely at 113b to conform to the front half section of 115 the several needles 46: (thus T). Incidentally` the notched ends 113b of the bars 113 are in vertical alignment with the needle guide\ bores 42 in the guide. block 42 just below, when the bars are at the extremity of their 12o forward stroke and pushed forward by the spring fingers 119a as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

To understand the function of the plunger bars 113, the operation of the cutting blade will have to be recalled. As already explained, a series of six keys w are cut from the lower ends of the strands of fiat wire w, with each forward stroke of the cut-ting blade 102. Generally speaking, therefore, 

